


Interlude to Solace

by PridefulSinner



Series: Promised Roads. [3]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-06
Updated: 2016-09-06
Packaged: 2018-08-13 10:25:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,775
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7973449
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PridefulSinner/pseuds/PridefulSinner
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Darcy spends time with Laura as she awaits any news from the team and what's going on, things are said that put things in a new light while others are left unsaid. Will Darcy be able to handle the reality she's about to face?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Interlude to Solace

Days felt like weeks. There was so little news coverage of anything that was going on that Darcy didn’t bother to even turn the TV on. She didn’t want Lila or Cooper to see it anyway. She didn’t want them to see their father at war with his friends. Darcy had to trust that everything would be okay.

She spent most of her time curled up in a big arm chair, Nathaniel snuggled close. Laura was doing her best to keep her mind off of everything, but it was hard to do when she too was fraying slightly at the edges.

Clint was doing his best to send little messages to let them know that they were okay. He never really said more than that, but it was a comforting gesture. Until the messages stopped coming.

Nathaniel was down for a nap, Darcy and Lila were huddled around the kitchen table coloring pictures while Cooper helped his mom with the dishes when Darcy’s phone buzzed across the table top causing her to startle.

She and Laura shared a look before Darcy excused herself from the kitchen and picked up the phone,

“Hello?”

“Darce?”

She sighed, leaning against the old porch railing, “It’s me Jane.”

“Have you seen the news by chance?” Those few words sent Darcy’s heart plummeting to her stomach while it simultaneously seemed stuck in her throat.

“No,” she finally manages to croak out, “I’m at the Farm, don’t want the kids to see all of that.”

She hears Jane hiss through her teeth and shift around. “Darce…. They arrested them, they’re being sent to The Raft.”

Darcy crumbles, sliding down the railing until she’s seated on the porch steps, one hand cradling her head. “All of them?” Her voice is barely audible, she’s not sure how she’s finding words.

“Sam, Scott, Wanda and Clint…. The Winter Soldier and Steve got away, no one is sure where they’re going.”

“He has a name, Jane.” She finds herself snapping, “It’s James.”

Jane sighs, Darcy can almost picture her pressing her forehead against the table top, “I’m sorry, Darce. I know he has a name, but I’m having a hard time putting your James and the one they’re broadcasting about into the same picture.”

“They’re not the same.” Darcy had spent plenty of time on her flight to the states looking up and reading anything she could on James Buchanan Barnes, on The Winter Soldier, she knows what they’ve done to him thanks to the emails in her box from Natasha; she’s still not sure if she won’t try and attack the redhead next time she sees her, she knows, although they were his hands, they were not his actions.

“Darce, he killed Stark’s parents.”

“Jane, do you blame Clint for Coulson, or for Erik?”

“No, of course not. That was Loki.”

“Exactly.” Is all Darcy responds with before a curt, “I have to tell Laura.” And hangs up the phone.

She puts the device on silent and moves back into the kitchen.

 

It takes every ounce of her strength not to break down and cry at the mere sight of Lila and Cooper working together at the table, Laura catches her eye, and Darcy knows the other woman is aware something is not right.

“Coop, Aunt Darce and I are going to go out in the garden, keep an ear out for your brother please.”

“Okay, Mom.”

The adults make their way out of the house and to the patch of land that Laura had been referring too, the stand in quiet silence, neither wanting to voice the inevitable bad news. Laura reaches out and fingers the vines of a hanging tomato plant. Darcy scuffs her shoe against a dead patch of soil.

“Jane called.” Was all she offered at first, unable to look up at the other woman whose focus was on the tomatoes. Darcy’s own arms are folded across her chest, she’s hugging herself, as if it’d make the news any better, any less devastating.

“Oh?”

Darcy sighs, “They’ve arrested Sam, Scott, Wanda and Clint.” She finally blurts out, eyes moving to watch Laura’s face. There’s a brief moment of shock and anguish before she schools it away and takes a deep breath. “They’ve been sent to The Raft.”

“What of James and Steve?”

Darcy shrugs, wishing she had even an ounce of Laura’s strength right now, “No one knows, I’ll have to analyze the information myself to get a grip on the situation. I hung up on Jane before she could really tell me more. I.. She…”, she sighs, scrubbing a hand over her face, “She called James by his other name, she called him The Winter Soldier, and her voice held such…” Darcy shakes her head and snorts out a laugh, “I could tell she was holding him responsible for everything, Laura. It wasn’t him! And then, when I asked if she blamed Clint, for what happened to Erik, and Coulson.”

Both women close their eyes at the mention of Coulson before Darcy continues, “and you know what she said? She said no, of course not. That was Loki. How was what Loki did, any different than what they did to James? What was done to him was _worse,_ Laura. Yet everyone is baying for his blood.”

Laura moves closer, wrapping the younger woman in her arms and hugging her tightly, kissing the top of her forehead. “Everything will be fine, Darcy.” She shushes Darcy’s attempts at arguing. “I know my husband, and I know it was probably his idea. Distract the others so those that can, can get away and continue the mission they set out on. Clint’s stubborn like that,” a small smile quirks at the edges of both their mouths. “Nat and Tony, they’ll come to their senses. It might take a while, but they will. They’ll come home, all of them. We’ll get through this, just like always.”

Darcy gives herself no other option that to believe what Laura says.

The pair spend the next few days keeping the farm in order, they try not turn the news on. Until they know what happened to Steve and James, they don’t want to worry the kids.

Darcy does look stuff up on her phone though, when everyone is tucked away for bed and she can’t sleep. She learns of Rhodey’s injury, she wants to send him a card or something, but she’s not sure how he’ll take the gesture, she’s not sure how much any of them know of her relationship with James.

It’s a week before the sound of an unfamiliar car makes its way up the drive. Darcy and Laura are both on alert, Lila and Cooper are at School, Nathaniel is babbling away in his bounce in the hall.

Both women make sure to stand between the baby and the front door as they step out onto the porch.

The car rumbles to a stop, Darcy has a white knuckled grip on the porch rail.

Slowly, a figure steps out of the car and she all but sags in relief before she’s bounding down the stairs and throwing herself into the unexpected arms of Captain America.

He lets out an ‘oof’ of surprise before his arms wrap securely around her waist, and he holds her tightly.

It takes her a minute to realize he’s the only one that exited the car and she pulls away, looking up at him with wide panicked eyes.

“Shh, Darce. He’s alive, okay? I couldn’t bring him with, I just needed to come and see you and Laura before…” He blows out a breath, looking up at the porch where Laura is standing, her own white knuckle grip on the hand rail. “Before I go and get ‘em out, okay?”

Darcy takes a shaky breath before she nods, grabbing hold of Steve’s hand and leading him up to the house. He’s alive, and that’s important, but she can tell Steve’s not letting her know everything.

“Captain,” Laura greets with a nod, Darcy doesn’t miss the twist of Steve’s lips as he’s lead inside the house by the two women and into the kitchen.

He doesn’t speak again until he’s settled in one of the kitchen chairs, “Not sure if that’s the right title anymore, Mrs. Barton.”

Darcy’s brows raise to her hairline, she and Laura share a look.

“I’ve told you before, It’s Laura, Steve.”

He huffs a laugh and nods, “Sorry, Laura.”

“I’ll forgive you.”

Darcy and Laura busy themselves making coffee and grabbing something to snack on before they join Steve at the table. The three sit in silence, munching on their snacks before Nathaniel makes a noise from the Livingroom.

Darcy rises, placing a hand on Laura’s shoulder as she goes to retrieve her pseudo-nephew.

“Wow, he’s gotten big.” Are the first words Steve says as Darcy re-enters the kitchen, a babbling Nathan on her hip.

“Poor kid has Clint’s nose.” Darcy offers in return as she reaches a finger up to bop the baby gently on said appendage.

“His moms eyes, though. The shape of ‘em.”

Laura nods, looking at her son with a small smile before turning her attention back to Steve. “Not to be rude, but why are you here, Steve?”

Steve’s little smile falls and he sighs heavily, carding his fingers through his hair. “I figured you two would appreciate knowing what is happening, what’s going to happen, anyway.”

They both nodded.

“Wanda, Clint and the others are currently stuck in a high security prison called the Raft, it’s nearly impossible to get to without prior permission. That’s going to be rather difficult, but I’ll find a way. I’m going to get them out, they don’t’ deserve to be in there, it’s not their fault. All of this, it’s mine really and I can’t sit by and let them suffer on my behalf, it ain’t right and I won’t stand for it. T’Challa and I”

“Wait, T’Challa? The same guy that was out for revenge against James? Steve, what the FU” her eyes dart to Nathaniel, “-C-K, is that about?!”

Nathaniel, for his part didn’t pay any attention to Darcy, he was too entranced with the necklace around her neck, gumming at the large turquoise stone.

“Darce, he’s helping okay? Once everything settled, he realized who really killed his father, he’s helping protect Bucky, okay? I promise you, T’Challa is a good guy.”

Darcy scoffs and flops down into a chair, bouncing the baby to keep him happy. “Yeah, I though Vision and Rhodey and Tony were good guys too, but look where that got us.”

“Darce…”

She makes a noise and waves, gesturing for him to continue with whatever it was he’s saying.

Steve sighs heavily, looking away from Darcy and instead to Laura. “T’Challa is going to work with me, Wakanda is one of the most technologically advanced nations, he’s going to have someone make it so The Raft surfaces, I’m going to enter and get the others free. I was hoping, that I could bring them here after they’re checked out in Wakanda. Those that don’t want to stay anyway.”

Laura nods her head, “It’s what Clint planned anyway, down time on the farm while we figure everything out. Darcy and I can work on getting the spare room set up, if need be, Nathan can be moved into mine and Clint’s room and his can be used as well.”

“Wanda can have mine, Laura.” Darcy piped up, looking away from the baby and back to the pair before her, her eyes search Steve’s face, “If James’ isn’t leaving Wakanda, then I’m going there.”

Steve’s eyes crinkle a bit as a small smile graces his features, “T’Challa already has a room ready for you, Bucky’s already told him of you, I warned him of your Taser, he’s both excited and apprehensive to meet you.”

Darcy huffs, giving a curt nod, “As well he should.”

For the first time in what feels like ages, Laura, Darcy and Steve laugh.

 

Steve sticks around a bit, he plays with the baby and helps pull things down from the attic for the girls before Darcy walks him back out to the car he came in, “I’ll be back for you, when I bring Clint home. I promise, Darce.”

She nods her head, her arms once again wound tightly around her own middle. “Okay.”

Steve pulls her into a hug, kissing the top of her head and sighing, “I’m sorry.”

“Quit apologizin’ ya punk.” She mumbles, she can feel more than hear the broken laugh that escapes his throat.

“Never.” He promises, pulling back, his hands firmly grasping her upper arms, he leans forward and presses a kiss to her forehead. “I’ll be back soon.”

Darcy nods, “Stay safe, okay? Steve…. Tell him… let him know…”

Steve smiles softly and with one last squeeze to her shoulder and another press of his warm lips against her temple. “I will, Darce.”

 

She stands in the drive and watches until the car becomes a tiny speck and then until is disappears all together.

She takes another moment to herself before she turns to re-enter the house and help Laura set up the spare bedrooms.

 

Five days later, the scene repeats itself. An unfamiliar car rumbles up the drive, but this time, more than Steve exits the vehicle, this time, Lila and Cooper are home and their excited shrieks as they see their father melt her heart. Wanda exits slowly, and Darcy’s melted heart quickly solidifies and shatters, she wants to tase whoever made that look appear in Wanda’s eyes to kingdom-come.

The look eases a bit when Lila and Cooper go to greet Wanda as well.

Sam too, exits the car and stands beside Steve as they watch the Barton’s reunite and she smiles softly, moving over to the Falcon and nudges him with her shoulder, “You doin’ okay?”

Sam looks at her, a small smile on his lips. “I’ve been better, you?”

“Same.” She agrees before walking away to envelope Wanda in a hug of her own.

Wanda, helps Darcy and Laura prepare dinner. She’s quiet, and Darcy can tell that the simple interaction, something familiar and comforting is doing her good, but it’ll be a while before the younger woman re-immerges out of her shell.

It makes Darcy want to tear people to shreds for the harm this has caused those she cares about.

Once dinner is finished, Nathaniel tucked safely into the bassinet in his parent’s room, and Lila and Cooper camped out on the couch, the adults talk.

“Okay, Wanda, Darcy is allowing you to bunk in her room if you’d like, I’ve got the other Spare ready as well, if you need it, Sam?” Laura offers, she’s not been more than 10 feet away from Clint since he came home.

Sam shakes his head, “No Ma’am, I just came to make sure everyone arrived in one piece, I’ll be joining Steve and Darcy back.”

Laura nods, reaching to wrap the man in a hug. “Well, if you change your mind, you’ve always got a place here, okay?”

Sam’s smile; a real one, graces his worn features, “Thank you, I may take you up on that offer.”

Clint looks around the room, a mixture of friends and family around him and he sighs, “All of you be careful, okay? This place will always be here if you need it, The Kids will miss their Aunt and Uncles if you don’t make a habit to stop by every once in a while.”

Darcy laughs, moving to crowd Clint in a hug. “There’s no way you can get rid of me easily, old man. I’ll be back to see the you and the munchkins soon. I’ve just got to-“

Clint’s warm and calloused hands run up and down her back and she sighs, “I know, Darce. Just be safe okay?”

She nods against his shoulder and kisses his cheek. “I will.”

Laura and Wanda both hug the departing trio and wish them well, Darcy promises to keep in touch with them. Wanda assures her everything will be alright in the end. Darcy doesn’t miss the look the other shares with Steve or Sam, and it puts her a bit ill at ease, it makes her feel as if they’re not telling her something.

Darcy believes her words regardless, she won’t allow herself not too. Everything has to be alright, she’s gone through too much for it not too.

After a round of hugs and goodbyes to the children still awake, Darcy gathers her bag and leaves with Steve and Sam. She’s off to Wakanda.

**Author's Note:**

> I believe this will be the final prequel piece to Long and Promised Road, I may flesh out some cutesy Bucky/Darcy scenes in the future so you can really get a grasp on their relationship, but for now... Well, more feels?! <3
> 
> If anyone has any ideas on what they believe should happen/take place in this series, please let me know! I am all ears and would welcome the suggestions! 
> 
> I can also be reached on tumblr, (It's a RP blog, but it's there.) GeniusWrangler is the handle.


End file.
